Thermometry at the nanoscale.

Non-invasive precise thermometers working at the nanoscale with high spatial resolution, where the conventional methods are ineffective, have emerged over the last couple of years as a very active field of research. This has been strongly stimulated by the numerous challenging requests arising from nanotechnology and biomedicine. This critical review offers a general overview of recent examples of luminescent and non-luminescent thermometers working at nanometric scale.

Metal-free highly luminescent silica nanoparticles.

Stable, cost-effective, brightly luminescent, and metal-free organosilica nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared using the Stöber method without any thermal treatment above 318 K. The white-light photoluminescence results from a convolution of the emission originated in the NH(2) groups of the organosilane and oxygen defects in the silica network. The time-resolved emission spectra are red-shifted, relative to those acquired in the steady-state regime, pointing out that the NPs emission is governed by donor-acceptor (D-A) recombination mechanisms.

Short communication: human lymphotropic virus type 1 coinfection modulates the synthesis of cytokines by peripheral blood mononuclear cells from HIV type 1-infected individuals.

HIV-1 and HTLV-1 infect CD4(+) T lymphocyte but little is known about the impact of coinfection on patient's immune response. In this study we have evaluated the spontaneous production of interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4, IL-6, and IL-10 and interferon (IFN)-γ by unstimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) cultures obtained from patients infected by HTLV-1, HIV-1, or both viruses. We have observed that HIV/HTLV-coinfected individuals presented significantly higher production of IL-2 and IFN-γ compared to both HIV single-infected and HTLV single-infected individuals.

Detection of distinct human immunodeficiency virus type 1 circulating recombinant forms in northeast Brazil.

The extraordinary genetic diversity and immune evasion of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) pose significant challenges for vaccine development and antiretroviral therapy efficacy. The objective of this study was to characterize the molecular profile of HIV-1 epidemic in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, determining the genetic subtypes and the presence of antiretroviral resistance mutations. HIV-1 pol DNA sequences from 57 individuals infected with HIV were obtained by PCR, followed by sequencing.

Coinfection by HIV-1 and human lymphotropic virus type 1 in Brazilian children is strongly associated with a shorter survival time.

Coinfection by HIV-1 and human lymphotropic virus type 1 is a frequent finding in South America, the Caribbean and Africa, and its prevalence varies from 4% to 16% according to the available reports. Although the impact of coinfection on HIV disease is still controversial, there is evidence supporting the contention that it can affect the natural history of both infections. No information is available on coinfection in children.

The impact of human T-cell lymphotropic virus I infection on clinical and immunologic outcomes in patients coinfected with HIV and hepatitis C virus.

Background: HIV, hepatitis C (HCV), and human T-cell lymphotropic virus I (HTLV-1) are associated with high global burdens of disease, notably in resource-poor locales. They share similar routes of transmission and cause chronic infections with associated morbidity. We performed a cross-sectional study to assess the impact of HTLV-1 infection on clinical outcomes in HIV/HCV-coinfected patients.

A randomized, clinical trial to evaluate the impact of regular physical activity on the quality of life, body morphology and metabolic parameters of patients with AIDS in Salvador, Brazil.

Unlabelled: Patients with AIDS under antiretroviral therapy often present with metabolic problems associated with HIV infection and its therapy, which can affect their quality of life. The knowledge on the potential benefits of regular physical exercises for HIV-infected patients is limited.

Objective: We conducted a clinical trial to evaluate the impact of regular physical activity on quality of life, anatomic disturbances, and/or metabolic changes in patients with AIDS in the city of Salvador, Brazil.

Maize and resistant starch enriched breads reduce postprandial glycemic responses in rats.

White wheat bread is a poor source of dietary fiber, typically containing less than 2%. A demand exists for the development of breads with starch that is slowly digestible or partially resistant to the digestive process. The utilization of maize flour and resistant starch is expected to reduce the release and absorption of glucose and, hence, lower the glycemic index of bread.

Coinfection by HTLV-I/II is associated with an increased risk of strongyloidiasis and delay in starting antiretroviral therapy for AIDS patients.

Objective: To compare the clinical characteristics and outcomes of HIV-1-HTLV-1 coinfected patients, in Bahia, Brazil.

Methods: Retrospective, comparative study.

Results: Among a total of 123 consecutive HIV infected patients, 20 men (20.

Nosocomial bloodstream infections in Brazilian hospitals: analysis of 2,563 cases from a prospective nationwide surveillance study.

Nosocomial bloodstream infections (nBSIs) are an important cause of morbidity and mortality. Data from a nationwide, concurrent surveillance study, Brazilian SCOPE (Surveillance and Control of Pathogens of Epidemiological Importance), were used to examine the epidemiology and microbiology of nBSIs at 16 Brazilian hospitals. In our study 2,563 patients with nBSIs were included from 12 June 2007 to 31 March 2010.

HIV-1 resistance testing influences treatment decision-making.

Objective: To investigates how the use of HIV-1 resistance tests influences physician decision-making.

Methods: Ten experienced reference physicians from the Brazilian Network for Drug Resistance each received ten patients' case histories. The selected patients had experienced at least two virological failures.

HLA-Bw4-B*57 and Cw*18 alleles are associated with plasma viral load modulation in HIV-1 infected individuals in Salvador, Brazil.

Unlabelled: Host genetic factors play an important role in mediating resistance to HIV-1 infection and may modify the course of infection. HLA-B alleles (Bw4 epitope; B*27 and B*57) as well as killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors have been associated with slow progression of HIV-1 infection.

Objective: To evaluate the association between serological epitopes HLA-Bw4 and HLA-Bw6 and prognostic markers in AIDS.

Lower prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 Brazilian subtype B found in northeastern Brazil with slower progression to AIDS.

Besides being extremely useful in measuring the level of HIV-1 diversity and prevalence in populations, the molecular analysis of genomic sequences provides crucial surveillance support and aids in the development of new therapies and effective vaccines. The present study focused on gag and env DNA and amino acid sequences that were generated from samples taken from 61 infected patients in the City of Salvador, Bahia, located in northeastern Brazil. In order to determine selective pressure and predict coreceptor usage, Bioinformatics tools were employed in phylogeny reconstruction.

Characteristics of Chronic Pain and Its Impact on Quality of Life of Patients With HTLV-1-associated Myelopathy/Tropical Spastic Paraparesis (HAM/TSP).

Objectives: we describe the prevalence of chronic pain and their characteristics in 43 consecutive patients presenting with human T-lymphotropic virus Type I (HTLV-1) associated myelopathy (HAM) /tropical spastic paraparesis in Salvador, Brazil.

Methods: in this cross-sectional study, we included 43 consecutive patients with HAM/TSP from Sarah Salvador Unit of the Rehabilitation, in Bahia, Brazil. They were evaluated from September 2007 to July 2008.

Acute HIV infection with rapid progression to AIDS.

Acute HIV infection is rarely recognized as the signs and symptoms are normally unspecific and can persist for days or weeks. The normal HIV course is characterized by a progressive loss of CD4+ cells, which normally leads to severe immunodeficiency after a variable time interval. The mean time from initial infection to development of clinical AIDS is approximately 8-10 years, but it is variable among individuals and depends on a complex interaction between virus and host.

Onset of opportunistic infections in patients co-infected by HTLV-1 and HIV-1, with high CD4+ cells count.

We reported two cases of patients with coinfection by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) type 1 and human T-cell lymphotropic virus (HTLV) type I who developed opportunistic infections despite of relatively high CD4+ cells count. These cases showed clinical evidence to consider an earlier antiretroviral treatment for coinfected patientes regardless CD4+ cells counts.

Reference range for T lymphocytes populations in blood donors from two different regions in Brazil.

This study defined the normal variation range for different subsets of T-lymphocyte cells count in two different Brazilian regions. We analysed the T-lymphocytes subpopulations (CD3+, CD4+, CD8+) in blood donors of two Brazilian cities, located in North (Belem, capital state of Para, indian background) and Northeast (Salvador, capital state od Bahia, African background) regions of Brazil. Results were compared according to gender, stress level (sleep time lower than 8 hours/day), smoking, and alcohol intake.

Genomic features and evolutionary constraints in Saffold-like cardioviruses.

This study identified the complete genomic sequence of four type 2 and type 3 human Saffold-like cardioviruses (SLCVs) isolated in Germany and Brazil. The secondary structures of the SLCV internal ribosome entry sites (IRESs) were deduced based on RNA base-pairing conservation and co-variation, using an established Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV) IRES structure as a reference. The SLCV IRES was highly similar to that of TMEV, but motifs critical in TMEV for binding of the polypyrimidine tract-binding protein (PTB) were disrupted.

HIV/human T-cell lymphotropic virus coinfection revisited: impact on AIDS progression.

Human T-cell lymphotropic viruses type 1 and 2 are retroviruses that share the same routes of transmission as HIV-1. Since these agents are prevalent simultaneously in different parts of the world, coinfection is a frequently reported event. However, prevalence rates of coinfection differ for distinct populations and regions of the world or for each virus, with human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 being more prevalent among HIV-1-infected individuals in the Southern hemisphere, while type 2 is more frequently found in the Northern hemisphere.

Genetic variability of human immunodeficiency virus-1 in Bahia state, Northeast, Brazil: high diversity of HIV genotypes.

The HIV-1 genetic variability in Bahia state, Brazil, was investigated. DNA samples from 229 and 213 HIV-1-infected individuals were analyzed using the heteroduplex mobility assay (HMA) in gag and env fragments, respectively. One hundred seventy-five samples were characterized in both genes.